Ways to declutter and make money prior to moving

Items to go through…

• Clothing

If we are honest with ourselves, it is pretty easy to see that we all own far too much clothing considering we usually only wear a few go-to outfits.  If you know that you will be moving in a few months, whether it be going off to college or a planned family move, you may want to take all of your clothes that are hanging in your closet and turn their hangers so that they are facing you.  In the time you turn them to face you to the time you move, you would be shocked to see how many items you have not worn. Maybe you have clothes that you are holding onto from when you were thinner or heavier, that you just haven’t been able to let go of – well, now is the time.  There are plenty of people out there that would love your handmedowns. Keep in mind that if a piece of clothing has holes in it or stains, you should just throw them away or commit them to being rags for dusting. You can also take the opportunity to go through your shoes and get rid of the shoes that may have been an impulse buy that you know you will never wear.

• Dishes

As we go through life, we will buy several different dining sets.  That being said, we will also break various pieces and then at some point you just buy a new set add it to your old dishes.  Its safe to say that this happens with utensils as well. As long as you are going through and packing your dishes, just get rid of the old mismatched set.  You will also want to go through your pots and pans, as well as any tupperware that hasn’t been used for a while.

• Furniture

Moving is a great opportunity to get rid of your current furniture and invest in some new pieces.  Whether you have second hand couches, dresser or bedroom sets, someone else would love to have your second hand pieces. Consider moving an excuse to spoil yourself a bit and expand on your personal style!

• Bedding

If you have old sheets, pillow cases, quilts, blankets or comforters, make room in your linen closet by clearing out the old stuff and making space for some new bedding to bring to your new home!

Ways to get rid of your old possessions…

1. Have a Garage Sale

While having a garage sale may seem like an old school tactic, it is still highly effective.  If you have any doubts as to how many people go to garage sales, just take a walk on a Saturday morning and you will see plenty of tables sitting in front of people’s homes as strangers sift through their belongings.  You will want to post large and brightly colored posters on busy street corners or bulletin boards a few days in advance so that people know where they need to be on Saturday morning.

2. Facebook Marketplace/Craigslist

You can post to Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist that you have several items to sell, but the most important thing to do is to take clear pictures to post alongside an accurate description about the items.  The one thing we want to make sure that you do is take safety precautions when selling things online. It is best to meet in a public space, and to have at least one other person with you, as you should never agree to meet a stranger alone.

3. EBay

Depending on the kind of items you are looking to sell, EBay may be a good option for you to try and make some money.  Essentially, people will bid on your items for a certain time period and then the highest bidder gets to purchase your items which you then ship to them.

4. Donate

While you can not make money directly when donating your items to a charitable organization, like Goodwill, what you can get is a tax form saying that you have donated and you can apply it towards your taxes for the year which will then reduce your taxable income.  Be sure that you take keep any paperwork you receive from the organization to donate to just in case you are up for an audit for any reason.

If you are looking for more tips regarding how to downsize and declutter your home before you move onto your next, be sure to reach out to a local moving company in Tucson.  Not only will they have creative ideas as to how you can earn money selling your things that they have learned from previous customers, but they can help you streamline the process.  Most Tucson movers will have storage units just in case it takes a little longer than expected to sell you items. That being said, do not move those items into your new home! This is a great chance at a fresh start and we are happy to help you in any way possible.  Call us for a quote or just to say hi to your friendly local Tucson movers!